A meeting at the Cove
by bookaddict09
Summary: Edward feels trapped in the hands of upper class society. One night, Edward saves Bella after she attempts to commit suicide. Together, they run away and embark on a new life. Hopefully finding themselves on the way. Rated T for now


**A/N All characters belong to Stephanie Meyer, I just bring them to the south coast of England. **

I was led across my bed listening to my iPod, when I heard a quiet wrap on my door.

"Edward, your father and I would like to speak to you in the study,"

My body immediately tensed. It was an involuntary reaction to that particular sentence, because it often forebode something unpleasant.

I followed my mother down to the study. When I entered, my father was sat in his chair on the other side of his desk- it was to be a formal meeting then. I wondered if he had scheduled our meeting in his diary.

"Close the door Edward, and sit down,"

I obeyed my father and took the seat opposite him.

"You're mother and I," he immediately began "have decided that you have reached the age, where it is expected of you to have a wife,"

I kept silent and continued to listen, though I knew where the conversation was headed.

"Because of your refusal to attend social events, your mother and I have had to find you a suitable wife. We believe we have made a good choice on your behalf."

Lies! I mentally shouted. He would never have given me freedom to chose who I want to make my wife, it was always going to be his decision. It had been arranged since my mother new she was expecting a boy and her sister was expecting a girl. I was going to be forced to marry my cousin.

"Tanya Delani will be your wife Edward. The wedding is arranged for next month. We are invited to dinner later this week, and it is fully expected that you will propose then. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes father,"

I got up and left the room. I heard my mother's voice behind me.

"Do not go to that ridiculous place of yours, Edward. It will do you know good. You cannot escape this! It is absolutely necessary!"

I ignored her and made my way to the hallway closet.

I wrapped my scarf around my neck several times so it would keep out the chill November air. I shrugged on my coat and put on my boots and walked out the door. I trudged down the driveway, and looked into the distance, into the sunset, and into the sun which was bleeding onto the sky and the ocean, splattering the horizon with dark stains of pink and orange. I climbed over the gate at the end of the drive and veered off to the left, following my well worn path down to the top of the cliffs.

At the bottom of the cliffs was a little rocky cove with mysterious caves that only I knew the secrets of; little crevices and a platform which led out several meters into the ocean. I considered it my home more than the big mansion that sat on the top of the cliffs. I spent more time there, laying on top of the rocks, reading, sleeping, mulling over my thoughts- I would go there for peace and tranquillity; without this place I would probably be insane (if I didn't already consider myself on the path to delinquency.)

Throughout my life I've felt smothered by the laws of upper class society, feeling it eat away at every bit of humanity I was born with. Here was where I felt free, where I felt the wind wisp away the tightness of being inexplicably trapped, where I could breath, as the sun burst through the dark, suffocating shadows of my mind.

I was surprised then, when I saw a dark form standing at the edge of the platform which led out to sea. Dark hair was blowing around wildly in the breeze, and it looked like the form was shaking. Her arms were crossed tightly on her chest- a barrier maybe, from the elements.

I felt confused and surprisingly somewhat angry at her presence. It was only me who knew the path down to the beach; the foot holds, the small juts of rock that I used as steps. To anyone else it was impossible, it was the reason why I could sit down there, a satisfactory smirk on my face, as my mother and father leered over the edge, imperatives and commandments pouring out their mouths as they shouted just how much they hated me for not coming back up and attending pointless social parties where the prime purpose was to flaunt one's wealth. I was stubborn, and it was almost worth the punishment afterwards, when I eventually mustered up the courage to go back to hell.

I was tempted to just go back, the initial lure of this place taken by the mere presence of the girl. I turned then, and took a step back towards the house . It was a painful and reluctant step- the house loomed in the distance in front of me, but behind me, I could feel the warmth and freedom of my cove. Then it occurred to me- why should I leave? I had more right to be there than that inconsequential girl. I came down to escape company and that's what I was going to do. I would ask her politely to leave, tell her that it belonged to the property of the house and that she had no right to be there.

With my mind strongly made up, I climbed nimbly down the cliff face, landing on the loose pebbles with a light thud. I made my way to the platform. I could see her huddled figure more clearly now, still shaking. She was staring over the edge, her eyes glued to the swirling mass of black water below her. I thought I saw her feet shuffle forward. I saw she was barely inches away from the edge, I saw her knees tense as if she was going to jump.

Wait!

She was going to jump. I ran forward, my thoughts from earlier no more than an echo as I focused on reaching her before she jumped.

_No! _My mind screamed, but my words were trapped on my tongue. She jumped, and was swallowed by the swirling waves, disappearing underneath as the sea claimed her . I ran, reaching the edge. My eyes searched for a sign of her under water, scanning the surface for a limb. Seconds later, her head bobbed up. Her eyes were wide and shrieked with fear and cold. I leant over the edge.

"Take my hand!" I shouted.

She was just staring at me.

"Take my hand!" I repeated.

I thought I saw her shake her head as another wave claimed her.

Suddenly an impulse overroad any sane thought in my mind. I took off my scarf, coat and t-shirt, my jeans, socks and boots, piling them up on the side. Then jumped.

The water hit me like a thousand knives, stabbing me on every single inch of skin. I could feel my limbs begin to numb, but I forced them to keep moving as I fought the current with all the strength that I had. I swam further out to where she was being dragged by the current.

In what seemed like a life time, I felt my hand lock around her arm. I started dragging her back, but it wasn't working. Her head kept disappearing under the water and if she couldn't keep it above the surface, she wasn't going to be able breath. So I put my arm underneath her neck, keeping her head afloat as I continued to drag her to the platform, fighting against the undercurrent which was determined to drag me down. Finally, upon reaching the side, I conjured up my strength and with one final effort, I managed to push her on to the side, before using the rocks as leaverage and pulling myself up. The sea water burned my throat as I coughed, but my undivided attention was on the girl in front of me. I immediately pulled the girl into my lap, touching her neck to find a pulse. I looked at her face, a picture of calm as her eyes were softly closed. My gaze travelled down to her lips, they were frighteningly blue.

_No! _I was not going to lose her.

I started doing compressions on her chest. The sun was completely set and the moon's shine cast a ghostly shadow on the water. It felt like the light of the moon was making a pathway to guide her to heaven. I was going to lose her.

But suddenly, I heard a gasp of air as her little body convulsed underneath my hand. She coughed and spluttered, her eyes fluttering. I let out a breath I didn't even know I was keeping.

I laid her down gently on the platform and began removing her soaking wet clothes. She was trembling slightly as I brushed my fingers across her silky soft skin, dressing her in my thick, woollen coat.

I quickly dressed myself before taking her in my arms and walking back to the beach, leaning her against a large rock whilst I collected bits of driftwood. Once I had a fire going, I sat down beside it, and gently rested her head in my lap as an unrecognisable , overwhelming feeling came over me.

I suddenly felt overbearingly protective of this girl. I pulled my fingers through her damp, matted hair and brushed my finger tips across her forehead. I could feel her soft breathing, her heart rate calming, as she slept in my arms.

Finally, when the horizon turned the dullest of greys and the fire was just a pile of smouldering embers, I fell asleep, dreaming of a beautiful girl drowning in the ocean.

I awoke to the echoing cries of the gulls, their calls bouncing off the sides of the cliffs. From the stirring in my lap, I gathered that the girl was wakening too. Naturally, my fingers found their way to her hair again, and they began to lightly pull their way through her knots.

"You're stupid, you know that?" I whispered, as her eyelids fluttered. "You nearly died last night."

I heard her take a deep breath.

"You should have let me," she breathed, a little hoarsely.

"Why?"

"Because I have nothing to live for,"

That little remark caused my fingers to pause in her hair.

"You don't mean that,"

"I do,"

She surprised me by suddenly sitting up, lifting her head off of my lap and shuffling several inches away from me.

"What do you think you're doing?" She said. Her eyes narrowed. "You don't even know me,"

She stumbled up, attempting to walk towards the shore where the waves were brushing the pebbles there. The sea seemed a little calmer today. The wind had dropped.

I could see her body was weak from the way it swayed as she walked. When she reached the edge, she crossed her arms, much like last night, and gazed out to sea as if she was searching for something.

I decided to stay where I was for a while, watching her from a distance, all the while fighting an internal battle to go and wrap my arms around her in a protective embrace. I lost my battle finally, and treaded quietly across the stones. As they crunched beneath me, the girl turned, and I could see the tears streaming down her face.

My heart broke for her.

I ran forward and crushed her to my chest. She buried her head in the nook there and wept into my t-shirt.

"Hey," I said, stroking her hair. "It's going to be okay,"

"No it's not," I heard her choke out.

"I'll make it okay,"

I heard her sigh into my chest.

"You don't even know my name. Why are you so nice to me?"

"I don't know," I answered simply. Because I didn't. "You have something to live for now, though." I said.

She broke away from me and stared into my eyes with eyes so deep I could feel them burning my soul.

"What?" she whispered.

"Live for me," I whispered, and took her in my arms again.

_And I will live for you. For who else do I have?_


End file.
